Posted on 07/11/2008
"The New West Movement"- this is a term that gets thrown around a lot these days to categorize all of the young and up-and-coming talent out of that region. In reality, this movement isn't new at all. High quality Hip-Hop has always been a part of Cali's music scene, and the rest of the world is just now catching up. You can argue about when it began and who is included in it, but there is no question that Pacific Division is one of the acts at the forefront of this movement. The self described F.A.T. Boys (Fashionable, Artistic, Trendsetters) exhibit all of those characteristics in not only their style of dress but their rhymes as well. On appearance, many are quick to throw them in a box (I promised myself I wouldn't use the word h*pster in this piece), but upon listening to these kids spit there's no doubt that they handle their own and can rhyme with the best of them. OKP interviewed Pac Div back in May of this year and they have only continued to rise in notoriety since then with frequent guest appearances, shows around the nation, major corporate endorsements, and most recently a record deal with Universal Motown Records. Brothers Like and Mibbs and longtime friend BeYoung have put together a relatable sound, full of charisma, fun rhymes, and deep ones as well. Their latest blendtape "Role Players" should be out this summer in preparation for their Major Label debut, The Grown Kid Syndrome. Now watch them tear down the house on okayplayerTV at LA's The Key Club and see what all the noise is about. As always, shout out to Greg The Dude and Tunji for their excellent work on these videos. Stay tuned for Erykah Badu and The Roots in the coming editions of okayplayerTV.